Overview
Elijah McCoy is a good video to spark discussion in a U.S. history or economics class. Who was Elijah McCoy? What did he do? This video takes a look at the importance of perseverance and innovation, by highlighting Elijah McCoy, whose life and accomplishments can be fine examples for all our students. He is, it is said, the Real McCoy. Pair with: Elijah McCoy is a good standalone video, but it can be paired with other videos on this DVD, such as, Permissionless Society, Robots and Driverless Cars, and YouTube, as well as Economics Made the World Great and Hockey Stick of Human Prosperity (two other Bonus videos).

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Grade level and subjects
• Recommended for grades 6-12
• Subjects: History
• Works in Classroom, Hybrid, and Homeschool settings

Sample discussion questions
• Elijah McCoy’s parents sent him to Scotland to study mechanical engineering. Were they rich? What did Elijah McCoy’s parents do when they were younger?
• What is a patent? How many patents did he have before he died?
• What was significant about Elijah McCoy? What was significant about his achievements?
• How can we learn from Elijah? Is he a hero, a role model? Explain. Post-Viewing Activities:
• Read Lawrence Reed’s book Real Heroes

What’s in the free teacher’s guide
This printable 1-page Teacher's Guide includes a lesson description and discussion and analysis questions.

Standards alignment
Aligned to state standards — use the SITC Standards Tool to match this video to the standards in your state.